No. 60.— 1908.] couto : history of ceylon. 



313 



defended themselves, and the havoc tnat was caused amongst 

 their own, they did not desist from the attempt, but rather 

 each time persevered the more, using every expedient to 

 enter it, making the elephants by force of blows come up to 

 the mud- walls with their trunks raised in order to lay hold 

 of them : but our men with many 1 fire-lances made them 

 retire, discharging amongst them a large quantity of harque- 

 busery and pots of powder, which was what our people made 

 use of most, with which they set fire to the stonemasons who 

 came to undermine the walls ; and as the elephants were 

 very big, and were seen very well by our people in the bright 

 light, they did not miss one shot, and so worried them that 

 they knew not how to act : because their cornacas 1 , who are 

 those that manage them , giving them blows and abusing them 

 by the title of cowards, and our people worrying them and 

 hurting them if they came near, they gave such loud trumpet- 

 ings, that even with the city all round occupied in its defence, 

 with cries in all parts, and with the clatter and clash of arms, 

 and the bombard-shots, all of which made a confusion of sounds, 

 yet they did not fail to cause terror to everyone. 



And at the stretch of wall that runs from the bastion of Sao 

 Gonsalo to that of Sao Miguel were fighting Chinapoli and 

 Sebastiao Bayao, captains of certain companies, who vigor- 

 ously defended that quarter, in whose company fought the 

 Moors, natives of Ceilao, of whom there would be some forty 

 villages, with as much courage and willingness as the Portu- 

 guese themselves, calling out to the enemy who came near 

 that they would make with their spears ladders for them to 

 ascend by. These Moors, natives of Columbo, are a sort of 

 mixties of some that our people found there when that fortress 

 was founded, who were allowed to remain there 2 , and always 

 served with nluch loyalty, upon which they greatly pride them- 

 selves, they being the only ones in India in whom we never 

 found deceit. 



Further on at the bastion of Sao Miguel fought Antonio 

 Bias da Lomba and Antonio Lourenco, captains of the round, 

 with the men under their orders, both of them knights in 

 whom the captain had much confidence. Fernao de Mello, 

 who was the first that arrived in relief 3 , leaving the soldiers 

 in his quarter, with some that he picked out, went round visit- 

 ing the parts where there was most danger, assisting them 

 and helping them in every way ; and coming to the bastion of 



1 See Hob. -Job. s.v. " Cornac." 



2 It is curious that neither Barros nor any of the other Portuguese 

 historians mentions this fact. 



3 See supra, p. 305, note T . 



